Until now, 5G used to exist only as a buzzword in the news for years. The case is, however, different now as many telecommunications company, network operators, wireless service providers and the like are now launching their 5G services in different countries. Equally, hardware manufacturers have also been working to produce equipment that’d would be compatible with the technology. Last year, we provided a comprehensive list of OEMs working on 5G-compatible smartphones. Now, a good number of the manufacturers (e.g. Oppo, OnePlus, Xiaomi, LG, Samsung, etc.) have released their 5G smartphones and in the paragraphs below, we highlight some of the top 5G smartphones that have been released for purchase in the first half of 2019.
1. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G
Xiaomi as a big player in the Chinese and global smartphone scene is never found wanting when it comes to jumping hastily to adopt new and trending innovations on its devices. Not only is this device the first 5G smartphone from Xiaomi, the Mi Mix 3 5G is also one of the best device ever made by the Chinese smartphone manufacturer. In terms of design and aesthetics, the ceramic body of the device gives it a glossy and sturdy appearance. The Mi Mix 3 5G comes equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 chipset accompanied by the X50 modem which gives the device 5G capabilities. 5G asides, the Mi Mix 3 5G comes equipped with other flagship-level specs like 6GB of RAM, 128GB storage, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Android Pie OS, 3,800mAh battery and Quick Charge 4+.
2. Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
Last year, Samsung announced that it would have at least 2 5G smartphones available in the market in 2019. The first 5G smartphone to be released by the South-Koren tech giant is the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, the 5G variant of the original Galaxy S10 flagship. Like the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is powered by a 5G-enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. Other features that position the device stand out as one of the best 5G smartphones in 2019 include 512 GB built-in storage, 8 GB RAM, 6.7 inches AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 6, five cameras, 4,500mAh, under-display fingerprint. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G costs about $1,300 in the US but may cost more in other regions.
3. LG V50 ThinQ 5G
Equipped with a Snapdragon 855 system-on-chip, 6.4-inch P-OLED display, Android 9 Pie, 4,000mAh battery with wireless charging, and a total of five (5) cameras, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G was released by LG in Q2 2019 and remains one of the best smartphones in 2019.
4. OnePlus 7 Pro 5G
OnePlus also joined other OEMs in releasing a 5G version of its 2019 flagship device. The 5G version of the device shares the same design and similar features as the regular OnePlus 7 Pro. The only differentiator between both devices is a 5G logo on the rear of the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. Be sure to lol our for that if you’ll be purchasing the device. The OnePlus 7 Pro 5Gcomes with a 6.67-inch OLED display (same as the regular OnePlus 7 Pro), 4,000mAh battery, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a 5G-enabled Snapdragon 855 SoC. Retail price for the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G ranges from $700 – $800.
5. ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G
The Axon 10 Pro 5G was announced at the 2019 Mobile World Congress as ZTE’s first 5G smartphone back in February. The device is basically an upgrade of the ZTE Axon 10 Pro with the only difference being the addition of a Qualcomm X50 5G Modem. In addition to 5G, the ZTE AXON 10 Pro 5Gretains all the best features of its predecessors: 6.47-inch AMOLED display, IP68 waterproof rating, triple rear camera (48MP + 8MP + 20MP), 20MP selfie camera, under-display fingerprint sensor, 4,000mAh battery with Qi wireless charging and Quick Charge 4+. Price-wise, the ZTE AXON 10 5G will set you back by $700 – $800.
6. Oppo Reno 5G
Like ZTE, Oppo also showcased its first 5G smartphone (a prototype) at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year in February. The Chinese OEM, however, launched the device, Oppo Reno 5G in April alongside two other devices in the Reno series. The device’s 5G is powered by its Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset and X50 modem. The Oppo Reno 5G has a colossal 6.6-inch OLED display with super slim bezels, triple rear-camera setup capable of 10x hybrid zoom, and impressive battery capacity. The Oppo Reno 5G has been released by the company but only available in selected countries like Australia, UK, and Switzerland with 5G-ready infrastructure.
7. Motorola
Although Motorola smartphones aren’t exactly mainstream compared to devices from other big players in the global smartphone ecosystem, the OEM is doing a pretty good job in pushing the 5G technology to the hands of as many consumers as possible. Presently, Motorola is the only OEM with two (2) 5G smartphones out in the market. The devices are the Moto Z3 (released in 2018) and Moto Z4 (released in 2019). 5G infrastructure may not be available in many African countries at the moment but when the network providers eventually roll out 5G services later this year, these are some of the 5G smartphones that you can experience the 5G speed on.
